Container seal

ABSTRACT

A container, as a casket, having a body with a peripheral body flange closed with a cover having a peripheral cover flange commensurate with the body flange, and a continuous passageway located between the flanges for receiving sealing material from an injector to bond or weld the flanges together. The injector, located in the cover, has a bottle of sealing material and an actuator operable to force the sealing material from the bottle into the passageway.

United States Patent [l5] 3,685,681 Foslien et al. [451 "Aug. 22, 1972 [54] CONTAINER SEAL 2,692,907 10/1954 Wallace ..220/46R [72] Inventors: Floyd L Foslien, 4001 Parkland 2,848,782 8/1958 Gillison 227/17 Ave., Lake Elmo, Minn. 55042; Terry N. Nelson, 1367 Blair, St. Paul, Minn. 55103 Filed:

Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Attorney-Burd, Braddock and Bartz [22] July 2, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 52,007 A container, as a casket, having a body with a peripheral body flange closed with a cover having a peripheral cover flange commensurate with the body [52] US. Cl. ..220/45, 220/46, 27/ 17, flange, and a continuous passageway located between 150/5 220/67 the flanges for receiving sealing material from an in- [5 ..B65d jector to bond o weld the flanges together injec- Field ofSearch 6; tor, located in the cover, has a bottle of sealing 150/ .5 material and an actuator operable to force the sealing material from the bottle into the passageway. [56] References Cited 17 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,215,304 11/1965 Rohe ..220/45 .53 Z Z2 a9 SHEET 1 BF 2 j K L sz FIG. 5

l N VEN TOR S FLOYD FOSLIEN BY TERRY N. NELSON ATTORNEYS CONTAINER SEAL BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Hermetically sealed containers are used to preserve the contents in the container, to prevent the escape of any harmful substances confined in the container, and to prevent the entry of water and other substances into the container. These criteria are applicable to burial caskets'Under certain circumstances, it is a statutory requirement that a casket be hermetically sealed. Caskets have been customarily sealed with rubber or vinyl gaskets which may be pressurized with either liquid or air, as shown in U. S. Pat. No. 500,809 and No. 2,848,782. These gaskets deteriorate with age and are not satisfactory for indefinite use. Tongue and groove structures have been employed to seal a lid to a body or receptacle of a casket. Examples of these structures are shown in U. S. Pat. No. 2,579,756, No. 2,617,171 and No. 2,995,800. These structures show the sealing compound placed in the groove prior to the closing of the casket for internment. The sealant must be applied immediately prior to the closing of the lid to provide an effective seal. There is no assurance that an hermetic seal is made.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention relates to an apparatus and method for hermetically sealing a cover to a body, such as the lid to a receptacle of the casket. The body has a chamber and an open top. A continuous outer peripheral portion of the body surrounds the open top. This portion has first and second shoulders laterally spaced from each other. The cover has a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the. body. First and second shoulders on the cover cooperate with the corresponding shoulders on the body to align the cover on the body. This alignment also produces a continuous passageway between the shoulders of the body and the cover for receiving a sealing material. An injector means is used to introduce a sealing material or solvent into the passage to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together.

Both the body and the cover can be made of thermoplastic material, as rigid styrene, ABS or similar plastic materials, which do not deteriorate with time or rupture under normal conditions. A sealing solvent, as methyl ethyl ketone or ethylene dichloride, can be injected in the passageway between the body and the cover. This solvent reacts with the plastic material to form a continuous air and liquid impervious bond or weld between engaging portions of the cover and the body. From these examples, it may be readily seen that any thermoplastic that will react to any solvent may be used.

An object of the invention is to provide a container with a permanent seal with a minimum of structure and expense. Another object of the invention is to provide a casket of plastic material with sealing structure operable to positively and permanently seal the cover to the body of the casket. Another object of the invention is to provide a casket with a positive and permanent sealing means which is simple and economical in construction and effective and safe in use.

2 IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a closed burial casket prior to the sealing of the cover to the body of the casket;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the body of the casket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of the engaging flanges of the cover and the body showing the bond between the flanges;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a corner of the body shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7 --7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a container, indicated generally at 10. The container 10 is illustrated as a burial casket. The following description is limited to a container being used as a burial casket. The structure and method described in this application can be used with other containers and structures that are to be sealed together.

Container 10 has a body or receptacle 11 in the shape of an open top rectangular box. A cover or lid 12 closes the top of the body. As shown in FIG. 3, the body has an inner member 13 carried by an outer member 14. The outer member 14 has an upright side wall 16 having an upwardly directed lip 17 and an inwardly facing shoulder 18. The inner member 13 has an outwardly directed peripheral flange 19 which rests on the shoulder 18. The flange 19 is joined to an upright wall 21 of the inner member 13.

The cover 12 has an inner member 22 carrying an outer member 23. The outer member has a downwardly directed peripheral wall 24 having a downwardly directed peripheral lip 26 and an inwardly directed shoulder 27. The shoulder 27 rests on an outwardly directed flange 28 which is joined to a wall 29 of the inner member. The inner members of both the cover and the body are made of thermoplastic material, as rigid styrene, ABS, or similar plastic materials which do not deteriorate with time or rupture under normal conditions. The outer members of both the cover and the body may be of any suitable material, such as wood, metal or plastic.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the inner member 13 of the body has an upwardly directed rib 31 along the upper edge of the wall 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the rib 31 is continuous all around the body. The outer top portion of flange 19 has a continuous top outside face 32 lying in substantially the same plane as the top of the rib 31. Spaced between the rib 31 and the outside face 32 is a bottom face 33 and a shoulder or step 34 forming the bottom wall of a continuous groove which extends all around the flange 19. The rib 31 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined inside wall 36 which faces an upwardly and outwardly inclined outside wall 37 extended away from the shoulder 34. A short middle wall 38 extends down from the shoulder 34 to the bottom face 33.

The flange 28 of the cover 12 has a downwardly projected continuous rib or tongue, indicated generally at 39, which extends into the groove formed in the flange 19. The flange 28 has an inclined inside wall 41 which faces the rib wall 36, and an outside face 42 adjacent the face 32. The inside wall 41 extends to a flat bottom face 43 which rests on the bottom wall 33. The flange 28 has a first step or shoulder 44 which rests on the shoulder 34 of the flange 19. Located between shoulder 44 and the bottom face 43 is a second small shoulder 46 which is spaced from the bottom wall 33 and the intermediate wall 38. Extended upwardly from the first shoulder 44 is an upwardly and outwardly inclined outside wall 47 which faces the wall 37 of the flange 19. The inclined walls 41 and 47 of the inner member 22 of the cover locate the cover on the body flange 19 so that a continuous passageway 48 is formed between the shoulder 34 and the face 43. This passageway extends around the entire flange except for a small dam or stop 49 shown in FIG. 6 and described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, an injector device, indicated generally at 51, is located between the inner member 22 and the outer member 23 of the cover 12. The injector device 51 is used to dispense a sealing material or liquid, as a solvent, into the passageway 48. An inlet tube 52 connects the injector device 51 with the passageway 48 so that the liquid can flow into the continuous passageway 48. The liquid flows until it engages the short dam 49 and flows into an outlet tube 53 which extends through the wall 24. The outlet tube 53 serves as a visual indicator when the passageway is full of sealing liquid. The sealing liquid is a solvent that chemically reacts with the plastic material of the flanges 19 and 28 to form a continuous air and liquid impervious plastic bond or weld between the engaging portions of the flanges. For example, the sealing liquid can be a solvent, as methyl ethyl ketone or ethylene dichloride, which reacts with rigid styrene, ABS, or similar plastics, to chemically weld the plastic together.

FIG. 4 shows the sealed flanges 19 and 28 and the sealed area 54 between the flanges. The plastic material of the rib 39 of the cover and the adjacent face of the flange 19 has been softened during the chemical reaction with the solvent in the groove 48. The solvent has migrated both inwardly and outwardly from the groove to provide a seal which has substantial transverse dimension. Capillary action pulls the solvent into the areas between faces 33 and 43 and between faces 34 and 44. Capillary action will also pull the solvent into the dam area 49 hermetically sealing this area too. The continued reaction of the solvent with the thermoplastic material will form a putty-like substance which fills the passageway 48 furthering the effectiveness of the seal.

The injector device 51 has a generally tubular frame 56 located in the corner space between the inner and outer members 22 and 23 of the cover 12. The forward end of the frame 56 is closed with an end wall 57. The tubular frame 56 rests on upright projections or bosses 58 and 59. Bolts 61 and 62, extended through the flange 28 and bosses 58 and 59, are threaded into the tubular frame 56 to secure the frame to the flange. The front wall 57 carries a longitudinal hollow needle 63 having a central passageway and a forward point 64. The point 64 extends from the wall 57 in a rearward direction into the frame 56. The needle 63 is secured to and extends through the end wall 57. Positioned over the needle 63, on the inside of the wall 57, is a circular washer or gasket 66 of yieldable material, as rubber, plastic and the like. The washer 66 serves as a sealing ring to prevent the escape of the liquid solvent from around the needle 63.

A collapsible bottle or container 67, carrying a liquid solvent 68, is positioned in the tubular frame 56 in front of the needle 63. The bottle 67 has a cap 69 located adjacent the point 64. The cap 69 may be of pierceable material, as flexible plastic, or can hold a pierceable diaphragm.

The injector device 51 has a mechanical actuator, indicated generally at 71, for forcing the bottle 67 into the needle 63, thereby puncturing the cap or diaphragm and then collapsing the bottle and forcing liquid solvent 68 under pressure from the bottle through the needle 63 and inlet tube 52 into the passageway 48. Actuator 71 has a cylindrical sleeve 72 which engages the flat bottom 73 of the bottle. The sleeve 72 has an enlarged end 74 having a threaded inner hole and a pair of upwardly directed ears 76 and 77. Concentrically disposed about the sleeve 72 is a tubular housing 78. As shown in FIG. 7, the housing 78 has longitudinal slots 79 and 81 for slidably receiving the ears 76 and 77, thereby preventing rotation of the sleeve 72 and permitting only longitudinal or linear movement of the sleeve. The bolt 62 extends through the tubular frame 56 and is threaded into the housing 78, thereby positioning and connecting the housing 78 to the frame 56. The housing 78 has an inwardly directed wall having a passage for accommodating a linear lead screw 83. The lead screw 83 extends through the passage in the wall 82 and is held against linear movement by a thrust washer 84 and a retaining ring device 86 which engage the screw and are located on opposite sides of the wall 82. The opening in the cover 12 for the tubular frame 56 is closed with a cap 87. The cap 87 is threaded into the end of the housing 78 and bears against the outside surface of the cover 12. The cap 87 has a central hole 88 in alignment with the end of the screw 83. The end of the screw 83 has a hexagonal bore 89 for accommodating the drive end 91 of a hand crank 92.

The actuator 71 has a safety lock, indicated generally at 93, which prevents the bottle 67 from engaging the needle point 64 and prevents the insertion of the drive end 91 of the crank 92 into the bore 89 at the end of the lead screw 83. The lock 93 comprises an elongated wire having ends 94 and 96 which are inserted into suitable holes in the cover and tubular frame 56. The end 94 is located between the needle point 64 and the end of cap 69. The end 96 extends through holes in the housing 78 immediately in front of the bore 89.

In use, the cover 12 is placed on the body with the rib 39 located in the groove. This forms the continuous passageway 48 for the sealing solvent. The cover 12 is hermetically sealed to the body by initially releasing the lock 93. This is accomplished by removing the wire ends 94 and 96 from the actuator and the cover and thereby permitting the bottle cap 69 to be moved into the needle 63 and the crank 92 to be coupled with the lead screw 83. The drive end 91 of the crank 92 is inserted into the hexagonal bore or depression of the lead screw 83, as shown in FIG. 6. The rotation of the crank 92 rotates the lead screw 83 so that the sleeve 72, being threaded on the lead screw, moves linearly with respect to the tubular housing 78. The sleeve 72, being in engagement with the bottom 73 of the bottle, forces the bottle cap 69 into the needle point 64. Continued rotation of the crank 92 moves the center portion or diaphragm of the cap 69 through the needle point 64 and into engagement with the sealing gasket 66. The continued rotation of the crank 92 inwardly collapses the flexible walls of the bottle 67 so that the sealing liquid 68 in the bottle will be forced through the needle 63, the inlet tube 52 and into the passageway 48. The sealing liquid, being under pressure, continues to flow through the passageway 48 until it reaches the outlet tube 53. At this time, the entire passageway 48 is full of sealing fluid. The fluid, being a plastic solvent, dissolves related portions of the plastic flanges l9 and 28 to form a permanent weld or seal which is impervious to air or fluid. Capillary action of the fluid, along with the reaction of the fluid with the material of the cover, pulls the solvent into the areas between the surfaces 33 and 43 and the faces 34 and 44. The capillary action also pulls the solvent into the dam area 49 hermetically sealing this area. The outlet tube 53 may be connected to a small container which has a transparent portion which allows the visual indication that the passageway 48 is full of solvent. This indicator may be provided with indicia, such as the word sealed, to indicate the condition of the joint between the cover and the body.

In terms of method in sealing a container having a body with an open top and a cover to close the open top, the invention includes the steps of locating the cover on the body in a manner to provide a continuous passageway between commensurate portions of the cover and the body. Sealing material is injected in a positive manner under pressure in the entire passageway. The sealing material chemically coacts with the material of the cover and the body to form an air and liquid impervious seal.

While there has been shown and described a 40 preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other structures can be used to form the continuous passageway between the cover and the body and that other types of injecting devices can be used to force sealing liquid, as a solvent, into the continuous passageway.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous enclosed passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portion of the cover when the cover is positioned on the'body, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway after the cover is on the body closing the top of the body to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein: the body peripheral portion has a first shoulder and a second shoulder spaced from the first shoulder and the cover peripheral portion has a first shoulder and a second shoulder complimentary to and cooperating with the first shoulder and the second shoulder of the body to align the cover on the body, said passageway being located between the shoulders of the body and the cover.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein: one of the peripheral portions has a continuous recess and the other peripheral portion has a rib located in said recess, said rib having a width smaller than the width of the recess, thereby leaving a space forming the continuous passageway between the peripheral portions of the body and cover 4. The container of claim 1 wherein: the body and cover are formed from rigid plastic material, said sealing material being a solvent operable to chemically weld the cover to the body to hermetically seal the cover to the body.

5. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portionof the cover when the cover is positioned on the body said continuous peripheral portion of the body having an outwardly directed flange having an upwardly open continuous groove defined by an upwardly and inwardly inclined first shoulder and an upwardly and outwardly inclined second shoulder laterally spaced from the first shoulder, said peripheral portion of the cover comprising an outwardly directed flange having a rib extended into the groove and first and second shoulders complimentary with the first and second shoulders of the body to align the cover on the body, said passageway being located between the groove and rib, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together.

6. The container of claim 5 wherein: the means to inject sealing material in the passageway comprises a bottle for storing the sealing material, means to connect the bottle to the passageway and means to force the sealing material from the container into the passageway.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein: the means to force the sealing material from the bottle comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the bottle, a lead screw turned into the threaded means, and guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve, whereby rotation of the lead screw will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.

8. The container of claim 5 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outer member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member.

9. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portion of the cover when the cover is positioned on the body, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together, said means to inject sealing material into the passageway comprising a frame, a tubular needle secured to the frame and connected to the passageway, a bottle storing sealing material located in the frame adjacent the needle, and actuator means to force the bottle into the needle and force the sealing material out of the bottle, through the needle and into the passageway.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein: the actuator means comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the bottle, a lead screw turned into the threaded means, said lead screw having an end adapted to receive a crank, housing means secured to the frame having guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve, whereby rotation of the lead screw with the crank will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.

11. The container of claim 10 including: lock means having a first member to prevent the bottle from engaging the needle and a second member to prevent coupling of the crank with the end of the lead screw.

12. The container of claim 9 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outer member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member.

13. The container of claim 9 wherein: one of the peripheral portions has a continuous recess and the other peripheral portion has a rib located in said recess,

said rib having a width smaller than the width of the recess, thereby leaving a space forming a continuous passageway between the peripheral portions of the body and the cover.

14. The container of claim 9 wherein: the body and cover are formed from rigid plastic material, said sealing material being a solvent operable to chemically weld the cover to the body to hermetically seal the cover to the body.

15. The container of claim 1 wherein: the means to inject sealing material in the passageway comprises a bottle for storing the sealing material, means to connect the bottle to the passageway, and means to force the sealing material from the container into the passageway.

16. The container of claim 15 wherein: the means to force the sealing material from the bottle comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the body, a lead screw turned into the threaded means and guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve whereby rotation of the lead screw will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.

17. The container of claim 1 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outer member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member. 

1. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous enclosed passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portion of the cover when the cover is positioned on the body, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway after the cover is on the body closing the top of the body to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together.
 2. The container of claim 1 wherein: the body peripheral portion has a first shoulder and a second shoulder spaced from the first shoulder and the cover peripheral portion has a first shoulder and a second shoulder complimentary to and cooperating with the first shoulder and the second shoulder of the body to align the cover on the body, said passageway being located between the shoulders of the body and the cover.
 3. The container of claim 1 wherein: one of the peripheral portions has a continuous recess and the other peripheral portion has a rib located in said recess, said rib having a width smaller than the width of the recess, thereby leaving a space forming the continuous passageway between the peripheral portions of the body and cover.
 4. The container of claim 1 wherein: the body and cover are formed from rigid plastic material, said sealing material being a solvent operable to chemically weld the cover to the body to hermetically seal the cover to the body.
 5. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portion of the cover when the cover is positioned on the body, said continuous peripheral portion of the body having an outwardly directed flange having an upwardly open continuous groove defined by an upwardly and inwardly inclined first shoulder and an upwardly and outwardly inclined second shoulder laterally spaced from the first shoulder, said peripheral portion of the cover comprising an outwardly directed flange having a rib extended into the groove and first and second shoulders complimentary with the first and second shoulders of the body to align the cover on the body, said passageway being located between the groove and rib, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together.
 6. The container of claim 5 wherein: the means to inject sealing material in the passageway comprises a bottle for storing the sealing material, means to connect the bottle to the passageway and means to force the sealing material from the container into the passageway.
 7. The container of claim 6 wherein: the means to force the sealing material from the bottle comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the bottle, a lead screw turned into the threaded means, and guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve, whereby rotation of the lead screw will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.
 8. The container of claim 5 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outeR member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member.
 9. A container comprising: a body having a chamber, an open top and a continuous peripheral portion surrounding the open top, a cover for closing the open top of the body, said cover having a continuous peripheral portion commensurate with the peripheral portion of the body, a continuous passageway between the peripheral portion of the body and the peripheral portion of the cover when the cover is positioned on the body, and means to inject sealing material in the passageway to bond the peripheral portions of the cover and body together, said means to inject sealing material into the passageway comprising a frame, a tubular needle secured to the frame and connected to the passageway, a bottle storing sealing material located in the frame adjacent the needle, and actuator means to force the bottle into the needle and force the sealing material out of the bottle, through the needle and into the passageway.
 10. The container of claim 9 wherein: the actuator means comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the bottle, a lead screw turned into the threaded means, said lead screw having an end adapted to receive a crank, housing means secured to the frame having guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve, whereby rotation of the lead screw with the crank will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.
 11. The container of claim 10 including: lock means having a first member to prevent the bottle from engaging the needle and a second member to prevent coupling of the crank with the end of the lead screw.
 12. The container of claim 9 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outer member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member.
 13. The container of claim 9 wherein: one of the peripheral portions has a continuous recess and the other peripheral portion has a rib located in said recess, said rib having a width smaller than the width of the recess, thereby leaving a space forming a continuous passageway between the peripheral portions of the body and the cover.
 14. The container of claim 9 wherein: the body and cover are formed from rigid plastic material, said sealing material being a solvent operable to chemically weld the cover to the body to hermetically seal the cover to the body.
 15. The container of claim 1 wherein: the means to inject sealing material in the passageway comprises a bottle for storing the sealing material, means to connect the bottle to the passageway, and means to force the sealing material from the container into the passageway.
 16. The container of claim 15 wherein: the means to force the sealing material from the bottle comprises a sleeve having threaded means engageable with the body, a lead screw turned into the threaded means and guide means to prohibit rotation of the sleeve whereby rotation of the lead screw will move the sleeve relative to the bottle.
 17. The container of claim 1 wherein: the cover has an inner member and an outer member, said means to inject sealing material in the passageway being located between the inner member and the outer member. 